Me in BG3 when the enemies are perfectly grouped around a single innocent NPC. Doing that calculus on how much that NPC really needs to survive the encounter.
I found out the hard way that Sculpt Spells (evocation wizard feature) doesn't work on cowering non-combatants...
It should!
The wording of the feature is that you can cause a number of creatures you can see to auto save on the throw and take no damage if they would have taken half.
NPCs are creatures.
Sounds like your DM was being a dick
Baldur's Gate is a video game.
Your computer is a dick
You really want Enzo to die?
DM: In a crowded street?
Sorcerer: I then cast, "avert my gaze" and "willful ignorance" on myself.
Me: I cast fireball.
DM: In a crowded street?
Me: Did I stutter?
Sorcerer: Yes as I give a evil grin.
Who is this player who changes his mind to cast fireball? Ain't no player I've ever played with.
First choice best choice. Go with your gut.
"On a crowded street?"
"Does my alignment say 'good' or 'lawful' anywhere?"
if its a crowded street then you cast level nine fireball
That will just turn the same dead commoners in that r=20' sphere extra crispy. I don't think there are any spells in 5e that increase their AoE when upcast and not the damage, duration, or number of targets.
(Either way, if the street is significantly narrower than 20' then a lightning bolt is going to maximize the carnage.)
Selective fireball it is
Forget the innocent NPCs, who's wasting an AOE spell on a single target?
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